A Whisky Lullaby
by Irelandblue
Summary: This story is based on the song Whisky Lullaby by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss. She put him out and now he's left to get rid of her memory.
1. He Tried to Drink His Pain Away

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gilmore Girls, nor have I ever owned them. I also do not own Brad Paisley or Allison Krauss. sniff Ah well.

A/N: This story is based on the song "Whisky Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss; and deals with themes of alcoholism and suicide. Thank you all for reading this and I look forward to reading what you think.

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_Luke, I can't keep doing this. It hurts too much. I love you. I will always love you, but I can't keep getting hurt by you. It has to stop and I know that I'm the only one that can stop it. Please, don't make this harder than it already is. Please, just leave me alone… let me go. I love you. I will love you forever. I'm so sorry. Goodbye, Luke_.

She kissed him goodbye for the last time and walked out of the diner, leaving him standing there with tears running down his face and a small shiny ring laying on the counter next to the brown circular stain in the shape of a coffee cup- her coffee cup.

What just happened? How could he have let it go this far? How could he be such an idiot? He'd not only lost the love of his life, he'd just lost his best friend and all over words that were never spoken, opportunities missed… a life ruined. Now, there was nothing left. Nothing for him here. There would be no second chance. Not this time. Too much had happened for that. It was over… And still he couldn't believe it. What was he going to do, now?

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That night, it started. He didn't want to start, but something inside of him died that night. So, to try to fill the void, he had to do something… anything… to fill the void, to numb the pain, to try to forget… her. Forget her, yeah, like that was even possible. He lived for Lorelai, he breathed Lorelai. Everything reminded him of her. Everything. The smell of coffee brewing reminded him of her kisses and the color of her hair. He couldn't walk into the diner without seeing the walls and remembering how she had talked him into painting it and even helping to pick the colors. He couldn't see the Gazebo without being reminded of bidding on her basket or the night of their engagement. His truck reminded him of her… the times they spent together in it traveling to Martha's Vineyard or that emergency run to the hospital.

He tried to get her off of his mind. He went fishing, but that reminded him of teaching her to fish. He even entertained thoughts of going to Sniffy's, but that wouldn't work on so many different levels. First he would have to explain to Maisy and Buddy why Lorelai wasn't there. Then there would be the whole awkwardness of him going back to the scene of their first real date.

Finally, the memories just became too much for him and he decided that a drink may be what he needed. He went out for beer and came home with a bottle of Jack Daniels too. He wasn't a hard drinker, but the black and white label seemed to beckon to him. If it's good enough for all those heartbreaking country songs, it's good enough for him. Besides, it's only going to be this one time. Right?

Once he was home in his near empty apartment, he opened the bottle of amber liquid and poured himself a glass. His hands began to shake and tears came to his eyes as a vision of Lorelai floated through his mind, mocking him for being weak and spineless. Angrily, Luke brushed the tears from his eyes and took a large gulp of whisky. The liquor burned going down, a physical representation of the pain that filled his heart.

Again, Lorelai's face was there, reminding him how much he screwed up. He took another swig and another until, after a while, his body became numb to the pain. It was still there, but at least now it was contained. Luke didn't care that he was drunk; just that the pain he felt wasn't so strong that he felt he was being ripped in two.

He finished the bottle, and, fully dressed but no longer caring, crawled over to his bed… the large bed Lorelai had insisted he get. It didn't matter how drunk he actually was, he couldn't' seem to get her off his mind. The tears were starting again. Damn, he was determined **not** to cry over her! Where was that bottle when he needed it?

That bottle was empty, he knew. He rolled over and grabbed her pillow from her side of the bed, burying his face in the soft down. It still smelled of her… coffee, coconuts, and her perfume. It struck him again that she would never be back in that room with him again. He'd lost her forever, all because he was too stupid to see beyond his preconceived notions of duty and family honor.

Then, he did something very "un-Luke-like." He allowed himself to give in to his emotions. He hated himself, but he couldn't deny the pain that was welling up inside of him, ready to explode. The tears evolved into full blown sobs. Luke surrendered to his sadness, increased by the amount of alcohol coursing through his body and he soon passed out from drink and exhaustion, his face still buried in the now tear-soaked pillow.

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After that night, Luke developed a new routine. He would try to muddle through his day at work without burning too much of the food or throwing too many customers out of the diner. He attempted to be a part-time father to April without falling apart in front of her because she reminded him too much of Lorelai and Rory.

He'd send her home at 7p, and then he would close up at 7:30 so that he would have enough time to get to the package store before they closed down at 8pm. There, he would stock up on his new best friends: Jack Daniels, Jim Bean, and Mr. Jameson. He'd sit in his dark apartment listening to Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Hank Thompson, and Willie Nelson, and drink himself into oblivion in a feeble attempt to forget Lorelai.

It never worked. He couldn't get rid of her memory- she haunted him even in his dreams. He still looked up when the bell over the door rang in the diner. He would come down in the morning expecting to hear her laughter as she heckled Caesar or Lane for another cup of coffee. At night, he could feel her presence in the room. Sometimes he thought he could hear her in the bathroom brushing her teeth or sitting at the table drinking coffee.

So he drank to numb the pain. At first it was just a nightly ritual, but after about 6 months, that wasn't enough. He started to drink before he came downstairs in the morning. He told himself it was just a hangover cure… a drop of the hair of the dog that bit you, so to speak. Then it was just enough to relax him so he wouldn't throw more people out than he needed to that day. This evolved into a drink in the morning and a few at lunch time, along with his regular nightcap. The more he drank, the more he needed to drink, until the day that Lane and Kirk had to physically remove him from his own diner because he was too drunk to stand.

It was then that he stopped caring. He hated what he had become… what her leaving had done to him. He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't go on like this. He couldn't go on without her, and, as getting her back was not an option, he couldn't live without her.

He had made his decision. Luke took one last look at the signs in front of him, Luke's Diner and William's Hardware, swallowed hard and quickly walked away before he lost his courage.


	2. He Stopped Loving Her Today

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gilmore Girls, nor have I ever owned them. I also do not own Brad Paisley or Allison Krauss. sniff Ah well.

A/N: This story is based on the song "Whisky Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss; and deals with themes of alcoholism and suicide. Thank you all for reading this and I look forward to reading what you think.

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That night, he made sure his will was in order and out in the open where someone could find it. He already had his funeral arrangements made. He did that when Uncle Louie died. As he read over the papers, tears began coursing down his cheeks. When Lorelai and he got engaged, Luke updated his will to include her, Rory, April, and Jess.

Lorelai would get the deed to the building; Rory would get the boat and a few of his personal affects. As soon as he'd found out about April, he had created a college fund for her, so she would receive that and also a few personal items. Jess would inherit the diner. He'd wanted Lorelai to have it, but she refused, saying that she could never run the diner without him… It would hurt too much and besides, she couldn't cook to save her life.

Once he was certain all the legal stuff was in order, he decided to get his goodbyes out of the way. He didn't call anyone. That would be just stupid because someone might come over and talk to him. Instead, he got out a pad of paper and a pen from the kitchen drawer and began to write.

_Rory,_

_Hey Kid. I want you to know how much I love you. You were always "My Rory" even if we weren't related by blood or legally. I've always loved you as a daughter. That will never change. I am really proud of you and the young woman you have become. You are going to do wonderful things. Don't be too disappointed in me; I just couldn't go on without your mom. Take care of yourself, Princess. I'll always be looking out for you._

_Love,_

_Luke_

He sat back in his chair and wiped away the tears from his cheeks. God, he wanted a drink. He needed a drink, but he couldn't get one until this was done. He wanted… he **needed** to be sober to finish writing these. He needed to feel the pain full force once more to convince himself this is really what he wanted. He took the letter he had just finished writing, ripped it off the pad, folded it, and stuffed it in the envelope labeled _Rory_. He then went back to the pad before him and began writing again.

_April,_

_My Daughter, I want to let you know how much I love you. I am sorry for not being there in the beginning of your life and even more sorry that I am going to miss the rest of your life, too. You are an amazing little girl… correction, young lady. Be good to your mom and I'll be watching you. I love you. _

_Love,_

_Dad_

Once again, he had to stop writing. This was so much harder than he expected. The room was beginning to close in around him and he fought for air. He really needed that drink… maybe just a little one… NO. He had to finish what he started. So he folded the letter, shoved it into the envelope marked _April_, and went back to writing.

_Jess,_

_You came to me a broken teenager, hell-bent on making everyone around you miserable. I know things were hard, and I didn't help any of that. I am so sorry for that, but I am so proud of the man you have become. You have always been like a son to me, from your birth until now. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Don't let your love wait and don't quit being persistent. Take care of Rory; she is going to need someone. And don't forget to make Lorelai some coffee every once in a while… I'm sorry I can't tell you this in person. I just can't handle this anymore. I will love Lorelai until I die, and loving her hurts too much for me to live without her. I love you, Jess. I don't say that enough, or show it enough… but I do... I love you and am so proud of you. _

_Love,_

_Uncle Luke_

This letter went into the envelope marked _Jess_. Three down, two more to go and then this hell would be over. Luke got up, suddenly aware of his body. It was shaking. He was getting jittery like he'd been drinking coffee all day. Now he really needed that drink. He reached for the bottle of Jameson's on the table, then thought better of it… he needed a drink, he didn't need to get drunk… not yet, anyway. He went to the fridge and grabbed a beer. Just enough to stop the DT's and buy him a little time. Once again, he sits at the table.

He finished the next letter, took a swig of beer, and picked up the pen for the last time.

_Dear Town,_

_I'm saying dear town because I have no idea who will read this first. I am taking this opportunity to say goodbye to you all. I am sorry for any burden I put on you. I loved this town. As crazy as you all were, I loved you and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else, that is, until now. I can't live here anymore. I can't live at all, anymore. I will love her until I die, and probably after I die. Please forgive me for not being stronger and please know that I tried. Thank you, Stars Hollow citizens. _

_Luke._

He took one last look over at the table. The bills for the diner were up to date and stacked neatly on the table. His will was laid out next to the bills and the four letters in their respective envelopes were laid out next to the will. All that was left to do was a quick cleanup of the apartment and then… well… he didn't want to think about that right then.

At last, everything was done and he could drink himself into oblivion. Carefully, he removed his ball cap- the blue one that Lorelai had given him so many years ago. He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed the bottle of pills he found there. Tylenol PM. He took a handful and washed them down with a bottle of whisky.

All of a sudden, his head began throbbing and he began losing control of his body. It felt like someone had thrown a lead blanket over him and as his eyes began to close, he saw her face swimming past his mind's eye one last time. His final thought before unconsciousness claimed him was "I love you, Lorelai. I always will." Then, it was over. He'd finally stopped loving her.

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The town would never forget the day they found that their beloved local diner owner had passed away from an overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills. The news sent shockwaves through the town. Things like that just didn't happen in Stars Hollow.

It was Caesar who found him. Luke hadn't been down to open the diner and hadn't answered the phone, either. Kirk was having a fit because he wasn't able to have his regular breakfast and went and got Lane. She called Caesar to open because Luke hadn't given her a permanent set of keys, yet. So, Caesar trudged over to the diner, opened the door, and went looking for his boss.

He couldn't find him downstairs, so the next logical place to look was upstairs… in his apartment. It wasn't his favorite place to go… maybe Luke was sick or something and forgot to call? It didn't sound like Luke, but possibly.

Caesar reached the door to the flat and stopped. Something didn't feel right about the situation, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Gently, he knocked on the door. No answer, not even the sound of someone snoring… or breathing. He tried the knob and found the door was unlocked. Again, something didn't feel right.

Cautiously, Caesar pushed the door open. "Boss? Hey Boss? You there? Bo-….. oh!" Caesar rounded the corner to see his employer face down on the bed clutching a pillow to his body and a piece of paper crumpled in his fist. He wasn't moving. On the table beside his bed, Caesar spotted the open bottle of pills and the empty liquor bottle on the floor next to him. It was then that Caesar knew what had happened to his boss and why he wasn't moving. He would never move again. He was dead.


	3. They Buried Him Beneath the Willows

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gilmore Girls, nor have I ever owned them. I also do not own Brad Paisley or Allison Krauss. sniff Ah well.

Thank you to those who have read and reviewed this piece, especially **bluedaisy05**, **orangesherbert7**, **Amanda**, **BlueJPlover**, **CoffeeCalling**, and **sarahb2007**. I feel like I should apologize for this being such a sad fiction… but…. I won't. And if you are looking for some fluff after this, check out my story "You Don't Know Me." :-)

A/N: This story is based on the song "Whisky Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss; and deals with themes of alcoholism and suicide. Thank you all for reading this and I look forward to reading what you think.

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Caesar stared at the lifeless body of his employer, shocked that the man he thought was so audacious, so phlegmatic, and so perdurable could even think about weakening to the point of taking his own life. Then again, that Luke Danes hadn't existed in a while- not since she had broken his heart. _Still_, thought Caesar, _What a waste of a good man_. With that, he wiped a lone, errant tear from his cheek and trudged downstairs to break the news that one of the most beloved stars from "the Hollow" had burnt out.

Immediately, the town set the wheels in motion to take care of their dear friend's final wishes. The diner closed for the week while Stars Hollow began the preparations for Luke's funeral. Taylor took care of calling the medical examiner and the police. Kirk took care of the will, seeing as he was the town's public notary and paralegal. Now all that was left to do was to notify Luke's next of kin.

Miss Patty offered to undertake the heartbreaking duty of calling Jess to tell him of his uncle's untimely death and that he had been named the executor of Luke's will. Why Luke had listed Jess as the person to contact in case of an emergency, Patty wasn't completely sure. However, she decided that this time she would listen to the wishes of Luke Danes, for once. Perhaps Liz wasn't the best under pressure or something. Either way, it didn't matter whom she called; it was not going to be the most pleasant of conversations.

With contacting Jess taken care of and the rest of the funeral arrangements already in place, the only thing left to do was to notify the Gilmores. Nobody wanted that job.

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Jess hung up the phone in silence and glanced around his Philadelphia apartment. Miss Patty's words still rang in his ears: _"Jess, I am sorry that I have to contact you like this, but I have some bad news. Last night, your uncle passed away… um…unexpectedly. He named you as his emergency contact and executor of his will. We need you to come back to Stars Hollow as soon as possible. I am so sorry for your loss. Your uncle was a good man and loved by us all… I'm so sorry."_

His uncle was gone. The most positive male influence in his life was no longer there. What the hell had happened? He knew that his uncle was in perfect health the last time he saw him. Sure, he was nursing a broken heart, but that was to be expected. He never dreamed that Luke would actually fall so far as to take his own life. He'd been brought to his knees by several women: Rachel, Nicole, and Anna, but he was always able to get back up. That is, he could get up until he met Lorelai. Now, Jess was calling his employer and packing his clothes for a trip he didn't think he would be making for a few years.

The day they buried Luke Danes was the saddest day in the memory of Stars Hollow; it seemed that even the angels in Heaven cried that day. The entire service had already been planned out already, so Jess only had a few minor things he had to do when he arrived in from Philadelphia. Luke was a very modest guy who didn't want a big deal made of his death, especially because he had been the catalyst behind his premature journey to the grave. The entire town came out to bid their last farewells to the gruff, scruffy diner owner.

The funeral began the same as so many funerals began in Stars Hollow. Rev. Skinner officiated in the small town chapel with the removable crucifix and Star of David. Then the eulogies began. April, Jess, and Rory all spoke about Luke and what a difference he had made in their lives. They remembered how it was Luke to break the church bells, made mashed potatoes and coffee-flavored birthday cake, try to help with geometry homework by reading _Geometry for Dummies,_ and took in angry teenagers in the hope of setting them back on the right path and succeeding in that endeavor. Finally, it was time to lay the body of Luke Danes to rest.

They all stood there by the willow tree in the cemetery as they laid one of their own in the ground. Just as the casket was lowered into the ground, the sky, which has been overcast, finally opened up. All of the people there that day would swear that the angels in heaven could no longer contain their sadness and the rain was their tears pouring down.

Those surrounding the grave site were so far into mourning they didn't notice the solitary figure hiding behind a tree; her dark brown hair blowing behind her and her sad blue eyes filling with tears for the man she never stopped loving.

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Next up on "A Whisky Lullaby": Luke's death affected the whole town, but how did it affect Lorelai?


	4. Nobody Knew How Much She Blamed Herself

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gilmore Girls, nor have I ever owned them. I also do not own Brad Paisley or Allison Krauss. sniff Ah well.

Thank you to those who have read and reviewed this piece, especially **bluedaisy05**, **orangesherbert7**, **Taer**, **Lolabelle26**, **Ronata**, **meg**, and **MarcyH**.

A/N: Finally, in this chapter we get to Lorelai's feelings towards this ordeal and the crux of the issue between Luke and Lorelai. This story is based on the song "Whisky Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss; and deals with themes of alcoholism and suicide. Thank you all for reading this and I look forward to reading what you think.

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From the moment Luke Danes' lifeless body was found, the rumors began flying. Not to say they didn't already fly, after all it was Stars Hollow, but if they were flying before, now the rumors had hit warp speed, fueled of course by dilithium crystals, after Luke's death. Everyone had their own take on why Luke would choose to end his life, let alone why he chose drink as his weapon of choice.

Most came to the conclusion that he died of a broken heart, however. It was no secret that he'd loved Lorelai for so long that when she ended their engagement, a piece of him died with that relationship. It was as if his strength, his will to live, no longer existed; he'd lost his support- his "rock of Gibraltar." Finally, the town concluded, it became too much for him. He'd fallen too far into Dante's inferno. His heart and soul were too shattered for him to fix. They all said that he died because he couldn't conceive living without her. The town's consensus rang very true, too true for Lorelai.

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She was sitting in her room, staring at a picture of him when she heard the news. As long as she lived, she would never forget that moment. The heavy knock at the door; the muffled voices at the foot of the stairs; the sudden, sharp rapping at her bedroom door would all be emblazoned on her memory forever.

She heard a male voice call her name, but she couldn't place it. It almost sounded like… Luke… but she hadn't spoken to Luke in a few years, not since she had broken their engagement. She knew that he had taken it hard- how couldn't she know? She still lived in the same house in Stars Hollow. He still had the diner and she had the inn. She knew that he had started drinking and, though she would never admit it, she was there the day that Lane and Kirk had to help him back to his apartment.

She was still staring at that old picture when Jess came into the room. He started towards her, and then froze, realizing just how devastating this whole thing was between the two. He always thought they were meant to be together. When she walked out of his uncle's life, he knew that it had shattered the man, but he didn't realize how much that she had also been devastated.

Watching her stare blankly at the tear-stained photograph in her hand, he was overcome by the magnitude of their love and the severity of this tragedy. Slowly and cautiously, he crept towards her. He knew she'd heard him come in, but she wasn't going to acknowledge his presence until she absolutely had to. It was as if she knew what he was there to do.

When he was standing directly in front of her, he knelt down so that his eyes were level with hers. She stubbornly kept her eyes downward, tears sliding silently from her nose to splash onto the glass-covered photograph that she now clung to with white-knuckled hands. Gently, he slipped his fingers under her chin and raised her face, forcing her to look him in the eyes. It was then that she knew. Luke was gone forever. He was gone, and she couldn't help but blame herself.

Jess just brushed a tear from her cheek, ignoring his own that threatened to spill down his face in rivers. As much as he made everyone believe that he didn't respect Lorelai, a part of him had always looked up to her and he revered her for being a wonderful mother and friend to Rory, and being so good for Luke. He hated seeing her like this, but there was nothing that he could do to alleviate her hurting. She and Luke had made their beds. Tenderly, he kissed the top of her head, the head of the aunt he now would never know, handed her the letter, and, as silently as he had come, left her once again to deal with the ramifications of her heartbreaking decision.

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She knew that it was because of her that Luke had fallen so far. Not a day went by that she didn't pray this was some bad dream and she would wake up wrapped safely in Luke's strong arms. However, she knew that it wasn't a dream, it was reality. It was a reality that she had caused and there was no way she could take it back, too much had happened. There was too much pain and too many tears had been shed for them to ever be able to be friends again, let alone pick up where they left off.

She could have handled anything with Luke. Anything. She could handle anything, except not being able to trust him. She had handled the fact that he had a kid with someone other than her. As much as that hurt her, she dealt with it and loved Luke even more because he wanted to be a father to April. When she watched him interact with April or talk about her, she could envision what he was going to be like when they had their own baby. She didn't think it was possible for her to love him even more, but she did.

She remembered how happy he was when she told him she was pregnant with his child. He was adamant. They were going to be a family, a real family. It would be a wonderful, real-life version of Yours Mine and Ours, without the plethora of children. He was so sweet, too. He would hold her hair back from her face during her early morning talks with the porcelain gods and gave her all the apples and peach pie she could stand.

Then the good memories segued into more poignant ones. She remembered how heartbroken he was when she lost the baby, how broken they both were, really. That was the beginning of the end, she realized. As usual, Luke had gone into his head and pulled away from her. This time, though, Lorelai was just as broken as he was, if not more so; it was **her** baby that grew in **her** body, after all.

Then the final nail in the coffin of their relationship was plunged into her heart. She was leaving the mall in Hartford and someone came up behind her and tried to force her into his car, presumably to carnally defile her… and it wasn't just anyone. It was an old ex, with which Luke had a relatively sore history. She got away before there was permanent damage, but the experience was enough to rock her to the core of her being.

What she needed was her strong fiancé, her Luke to rescue her, soothe her fears, and remind her that everything was going to be ok. What she got was a jealous, cold man masquerading as her soul mate. Luke was already so far into his own head with grief that he didn't notice how scared Lorelai was and, when she was finally able to talk about what was bothering her, he all but blamed **her** for brining this horror upon herself saying that she shouldn't have been there anyway, Hartford wasn't a place to go walking after dark, etc. He practically accused her of cheating on him!

It was at that moment that she lost faith in him. It was to her as if Luke didn't believe her, that he didn't trust her to tell the truth and that this incident didn't warrant her fears. He didn't grasp (or didn't want to grasp) that she had nearly been raped; it was unwanted attention from _that_ man. She just could not take that. She couldn't be with someone who she didn't trust and who didn't trust her in return. She ended it between them. Looking back, she couldn't help but think that she had been the one to blame in this. It was all her fault.

She couldn't handle feeling so guilty, so unworthy. She had to do something to ease the ache inside her heart... to stop the hurting and guilt that gnawed away at her stomach. _Her fault, he did this to him, unworthy, selfish, murderer_ flowed through her subconscious as she struggled with the death of her Luke. Her diner man… the love of her life, the Romeo to her Juliet, the Superman to her Lois Lane. Her "Superman" had lost the battle with his own type of Kryptonite.

That's it, she decided. If it worked for him, it will work for me. Who am I to be stronger than him, better than him? She dared to glance at the now damp, glossy page still clenched in her fist and one again found herself captivated by those clear blue eyes she would never have the chance to gaze into, at least not in person. All of a sudden, she was overcome with anger. Anger at him for leaving her to live her life completely alone, anger at herself for screwing up this relationship so badly that she drove him to drink and, ultimately, to his death.

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She couldn't take anymore of the overwhelming guilt and pain that coursed through her body with every heartbeat, every breath. All she wanted to do was sleep- sleep forever and maybe when she had slept enough, she would awaken from this nightmare. She went down to the kitchen and rummaged through the small collection of bottles kept in the cupboard until she found what she was looking for- a bottle of Loch Lomond single malt Rory had given to her as a joke during a Scottish phase she went through a few years ago. Ha! Low road, indeed! How fitting to drink a bottle of whisky named for a song about losing a true love to that grey and sickly villain, death, to memorialize the eve of her own love's passing.

Bottle in hand, she went back to her room. She wrapped herself in the familiar flannel she still slept with after all these years. It had lost his scent, but she still wore it to remember how things used to be. Now, she wore it in bereavement for his untimely demise. As she slowly drank the intense amber fluid in a vain attempt to fill the stinging void that grew in her breast, she suddenly became aware of another presence in the room. It was as Luke was sitting right next to her, still loving her. She couldn't take that, either. His loving her after she broke his heart and practically caused his death was just too much for her to bear.

So she drank to get rid of his memory. She drank the entire bottle and finally passed out from exhaustion, tears, and alcohol. Her last thoughts before blessed sleep overtook her were of her Luke and she knew then that there was no escaping his memory, there was only the easing of her throbbing guilty conscience.

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He watched from above as his love attempted to bury her pain and guilt under an alcoholic haze. He knew all too well that path. He never wanted that life for her, but he knew that there was no other way. She would know the score soon enough. For now, all he could do was watch and wait, listening to a familiar angelic lullaby.

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End file.
